Hasta La Gadget!

Netflix has released an update for its PlayStation 3 app that brings a few minor features, yet they could prove incredibly useful for some users. First off, the UI received a makeover, although it simply looks like the web and mobile versions of Netflix in order to make the PS3 app more uniform with the rest of the app lineup. Also, the update comes with easier access to audio and subtitle settings, as well as increased performance.

The audio and subtitle options can now be accessed from within the video player, meaning that you don’t have to return to the main menu in order to adjust these settings. Plus, accessing these options from within the video player while watching a show will bring up catered settings for that particular show, including available languages and surround sound options.

The video player has also been updated to look more like the web and mobile versions, although it keeps some of the same PS3 aesthetic. The video player will now be much more reminiscent of other platforms with Netflix, and PlayStation 3 users should be able to pick up another device without a huge learning curve getting in the way.

Today’s PS3 update also includes improvements for “trickplay” mode, which is that fancy series of screenshots you get when you want to skip ahead or backward in a show. This time around, the screenshots appear much quicker on the screen, allowing users to fast-forward or rewind a show at a much quicker pace than before, although we would still love the option to automatically skip opening credits for a TV show that happens after the cold open, but it seems we’ll still be dreaming about that.

Netflix streaming first hit the PlayStation 3 back in November 2009, and it recently became the number one streaming device for Netflix, where Sony’s gaming console had more Netflix users than any other platform that Netflix in on, including the Xbox 360, so it’s really no surprise that the streaming company is giving extra attention to the PS3.

SOURCE: Netflix Blog

Netflix for PS3 updated (and yes, you’ve seen this UI before) is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Flipboard received a big update today on Android, bumping up to an even version 2.0. This time around, users can create their own Magazine of sorts, curating content into a magazine that other users can subscribe to. You can also share the magazine through social networks with a subscribe link, and you can keep continuing to add to the magazine, with the changes showing up for subscribers in real time.

Magazines that users create can include all sorts of content, including articles, images, audio, and video. Users can also keep curated magazines private if they simply want it for personal use, rather than to distribute content to friends and other Flipboard users, but it seems like a great way to know what other users are into as far as topics go.

To start adding content into your own magazines, you simply just use the share button that’s built into most Android apps, as well as use the “+” icon inside Flipboard to add Flipboard stories to your magazines. As for sharing your magazines, you can also use text messaging, email, and Pinterest, on top of the usual social media sites.

Along with today’s Android update, Flipboard is also rolling out a web-based editor tool to help manage magazines for users. From here, you’ll be able to re-order content, as well as delete it if you no longer want it. You can also check out analytics of your magazines by seeing how often other users have shared items that appeared in your magazine. Flipboard is a free app, and the updated version is available now in the Google Play store.

Flipboard for Android updates with custom magazine support is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

During the Wired Business Conference today, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President for Windows Julie Larson-Green confirmed that a major update for Windows 8 — known as Windows 8.1 “Blue” — will be launching this year, with a developer version arriving first during Microsoft’s BUILD conference at the end of the June.

An exact release date for the final version hasn’t been disclosed yet, but Microsoft says that it’ll be out at some point “later this year.” While the preview that the company will release in June will mostly be meant for developers, the company will be providing public preview versions as well for anyone to try out.

We’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about Windows Blue lately, including the possibility of Microsoft bringing back some crucial features that users have missed from Windows 7, including re-introducing the Start button, and including an option to boot straight to the desktop, bypassing the start screen altogether.

Microsoft could also be working on Windows Blue versions for their tablet operating system. We heard hearsay earlier today about the possibility of new HTC tablets coming with an updated version Windows RT. We’re not sure if we’ll hear about Blue updates for Windows RT at BUILD this year, but it’ll definitely be something that we’ll keep in our minds as we go into June.

Windows 8.1 Blue confirmed for June launch for developers is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The popular health and fitness tracking app RunKeeper has updated for both iOS and Android. One of the biggest new additions to the app is support for the new Pebble smartwatch, which now allows users to check their wrist to see if they’re keeping up pace, rather than having to fish out their smartphone to check their stats while on the go.

Both the iOS app and Android app also have some new features coming their way. The Android app now includes easier methods to enter in non-GPS activities manually, such as running on a treadmill or cycling on the stationary bike. The Android version also received a new widget that you can add to your home screen, letting you start and stop activities.

As for the iPhone app of RunKeeper, more users in more countries now have access to the fitness app, thanks to additions of several new languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Japanese. The app’s developers note that they’re continuously adding new languages, so we can expect more to come in the future.

Other than that, the updated app comes with the usual big fixes and performance enhancements. As for the Pebble watch, we reviewed the wrist device back in February, and it’s been going out to Kickstarter backers these last few months. While the watch is somewhat cheaply made in a way, third-party support is growing, making it even more tempting to take advantage of the new device.

RunKeeper Pebble support enabled in iOS and Android update is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

In an effort to bring the people in photos out to the forefront, Instagram has added a new feature called “Photos of You,” which adds image tagging so that you can tag your friends in photos that you take through the service. It’s a lot Facebook‘s own tagging system, which isn’t too surprising, since Facebook own the photo-sharing service.

When you upload a photo to Instagram, you’re now able to tag the people that are in the photo, and Instagram says its as easy as adding hashtags. Plus, only you can add people to your photos, which we’re guessing means that other people won’t even be able to request permission to add themselves in a photo like Facebook does.

However, you can only tag people that also have an Instagram account, so it’s definitely a bit limited on who you can tag, especially since you can’t tag Facebook friends, but the service gives you the ability to tag previously-uploaded images to give your collection a bit of uniformity at least.

As for the “Photos of You” section, this is where you can view all photos on Instagram that you’re tagged in, and it appears as a dedicated section on your Instagram profile. For privacy’s sake, Instagram allows you to approve each photo you’re tagged in so that you have control over what shows up in that section. The update is available now on both iOS and Android.

[via Android Community]

Instagram “Photos of You” update adds Facebook-like image tagging is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.